Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) has said that the airline companies have asked passengers to reach airport 3.5 hours before departure and not the airport.
Airlines have given an advisory to come 3.5 hours before departure, not the airport. Airlines are giving the advisory for their comfort,” Narayan Rao DIAL deputy MD said.
Rao added that within a month the airport will be able to tackle congestion issues. However, he stressed that post-Covid the number of passengers has gone up and bags too. That’s why this sudden congestion has been reported.
Meanwhile, the Airline companies have blamed the airport authorities for not clarifying the situation leading to chaos at the Delhi Airport.
In order to curb the congestion at Delhi airport, airlines had issued an advisory to the passengers. Air India asked passengers to reach the airport at least 3.5 hours prior to domestic departures and 4 hours for international departures. IndiGo advised them to reach the airport at least 3.5 hours prior to domestic departures and carry only one piece of hand baggage, weighing 7 kg, for a smooth security check. IndiGo has also advised passengers to use gate numbers 5 and 6 for entry at Delhi Airport, Terminal 3, as these are nearest to the IndiGo check-in counters.
SpiceJet also issued advisory asking passengers for domestic flights to reach “2.5 hours prior to flight departure time and 3.5 hours prior for international travel whereas Vistara has asked to arrive at the airport at least three hours prior to domestic as well as international flights.
Earlier, Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia had also visited the airport and inspected the situation of congestion and directed all stakeholders associated with Delhi airport to ensure that efforts are made to avoid congestion in view of the congestion situation at the airport.
On 15 December, the Centre held a high-level meeting to find a solution for congestion at the Delhi airport. The crucial meeting was chaired by Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla in the national capital. Officers in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Minister of Civil Aviation, and others concerned with the matter, including those in Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), attended the meeting.
Dial has increased screening machines from 13 to 20 and installed a real-time data machine at the entry gate of airport premises. The situation is temporary, it’ll be normal soon. The number of passengers has increased post-Covid. All steps including increasing the number of screening machines have been taken.
As per the 6:26 am update from the Delhi airport, smooth passengers movement observed at all terminal entry gates.
The maximum waiting time is at entry gates 1B which is 13 minutes and 3A at 10 minutes.